Harder Than You Think
by PlaylistOfPleasure
Summary: A young girl (female reader) who normally has no interest in more than one-time flings finds herself falling for young actor Sebastian Stan who is on his way to becoming world-renown for a role in an upcoming Marvel film. Are the trials of dating a busy actor really worth it? Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Harder Than You Think

chapter one

What was I supposed to expect? Did I really think that everything would go perfectly well and that the two of us would ride off into the sunset to our happily ever after? News flash: that only happens in the movies.

I don't know... I guess I was just so blinded by the fact that I was actually dating him. I didn't take the time to sit down and think about how this would affect me and the life I had deemed "normal" up 'til now. And here I am, sitting in the rain, my tears mingling with the rain drops already streaming down my face. I guess I deserve this after the way I handled things. Love makes you stupid.

I'm sure you're very confused with the story starting this way, and I suppose I should start from the very beginning, before all this depressing visual with rain and tears. But, before we start, I'm going to give you a piece of advice. If you think this tale is going to be a happy one, don't get your hopes up. It starts off pretty good, but as you can see, I'm drenched from sitting in the rain. And if one thing was right from the movies, is that sad people like to sit in the rain.

So sit down, make yourself comfy, and go get some food or something. You're about to take a trip into my life, as it was a few months ago. Don't worry; I'm sure there were a lot of happy memories to be excited about. But be prepared for sad ones too.

Are you ready?

Okay.

It all started at a wedding...

Weddings.

Was it bad that I hated them?

My mom always said that it was because I still hadn't found my "happily ever after." Once you find your prince charming you'll understand, is what she always said. This always lead to arguments, because it definitely hadn't worked out that way for my parents. Who was she to say that "happily-ever-afters" exist when her own marriage had ended with splitting everything they owned?

You know what I think? To hell with all those love birds and the idea of a fairy tale ending. Statistics show that a large percentage of marriages end in divorce (I witnessed this first-hand), so why would you want to start in the first place? You're basically setting yourself up to fail.

No. I preferred my love-life to consist of quick flings and zero commitment. It was more fun that way, and I lived my life in a constant search for new experiences and exciting adventures. I definitely didn't consider myself a "whore" or a "slut"... I didn't actually hook up with that many guys. But I did enjoy being able to get almost any date I wanted, and that's where the fun started. Me and my best friend Toary could write books on all the stories we've conjured up during our many spontaneous trips and whims.

The most recent of said interests was crashing weddings. What better thing to do to the life-events I hated the most? If there was any way we could somehow slip into a ceremony or reception that was happening in the area, we would. Some attempts ended in horrible disaster, with the night being spent in a holding cell down at the police station. But other times we were successful and had the absolute time of our lives. We found that successfully crashing a wedding led to some outrageous tales, as well as possibly scoring a date (or more) with a hot groomsman. Not only that, but we could pretend to be someone entirely different than we actually were for a night, testing out those acting classes the two of us had taken in high school. So, without much persuasion, me and Toary decided that this new-found hobby was something we'd stick with for a while.

One perfect spring day found the two of us in the apartment we shared, in the beautiful bustling city of Toronto. Both me and Toary grew up together in a town a few hours away, but we moved here when we got accepted to the University of Toronto. We were in the perfect area; walking distance from all the necessities like groceries and restaurants, and reasonable driving distance to the Entertainment District.

It was a particularly lazy afternoon, with classes for the week ending on a Thursday and the satisfaction of having a long weekend settling on the two of us young adults. I lay sprawled out on the couch in a tank-top and shorts, texting a guy who just couldn't seem to get enough of me after a few hot dates. Toary was sitting at our bar-height kitchen table, silently studying her laptop screen while typing and clicking every now and then.

I got board with the guy I was talking to -what was his name again?... Jack?- and turned my text notifications off. I sighed, and slowly rose out of my comfortable position to get something to drink. I glanced over my best friend's shoulder to her laptop on my way to the stainless steel fridge that inhabited our kitchen (Luckily both our parents had been willing to help get us on our feet and assist in paying for a nicer apartment). After having my cold drink in one hand and an extra for Toary in the other, I went to stand beside her and placed the opened Palm Bay on the table next to her laptop.

"Thanks," she said, her hazel-green eyes never leaving the laptop's monitor. Taking a sip from the alcoholic beverage, she set it back down and continued clicking away.

"Found anything interesting yet?" I inquired, my eyes skimming over the list of locations and venues that popped up on the screen.

"Not really. I mean, with so many weddings happening the past few months, you'd think there would be some good ones the weekend we want to crash them." Toary scrolled some more. "I've been looking up wedding announcements and booking schedules for so many venues in the area, but none have caught my eye."

"Well, you could always look a little outside our normal range," I suggested, taking a swig from my Palm Bay before continuing. "It's a long weekend, and we have the money we'd need for a few nights' stay at a hotel." I grinned as I nudged her arm. "We could even get separate rooms in case one of us gets lucky."

Toary laughed. "I'd be up for the idea, but only if the wedding we're crashing is worth it."

"Well just keep looking. I'm sure we'll find something. 'Tis the season to be married, I guess. There were so many last month, but we were busy with midterms."

I leaned over a bit, trying to help her scan the list of wedding announcements. Something I always looked out for were the celebrity updates. We hadn't attempted it, because security was always heavy at famous people's events. But I always wanted to find a way into a celebrity's ceremony or reception. The possibilities of a hookup with someone I saw on TV or in movies? It gave me excited chills! But so far any big shindigs like that we hadn't even bothered with. We rather didn't waste our time with weddings we knew we had no chance of getting into.

I decided to peruse on some social media to see if there were any interesting wedding updates I had missed. Meandering back to the couch, I sat down and pulled out my phone again, seeing a few messages from Jack. I ignored them and went straight to Twitter, scrolling down my news feed and looking for the key words and phrases me and my friend had learned to spot. _Wedding, getting hitched, wearing white, bridesmaids, happiest day of our lives_ , things like that. It was usually the bride who posted about all that, if she had social medias, so I filtered through the hashtags in search of some actresses.

The both of us kept at it diligently and silently for a good 40 minutes before I sighed in defeat and tossed my phone beside me on the brown suede couch. I rubbed my eyes and turned to look at Toary. She had tied up her blonde hair in a loose bun and her drink had changed positions on the table.

"Girl, I think we're out of luck this weekend," I sighed. "We're just going to have to hit up some bars with our girlfriends and party like there's no tomorrow. We can still make the most of the next four days."

"You're right," Toary replied, and closed her laptop. She tipped her drink back once more, downing the last of its contents. "I mean, it's not like we don't know how to have a good time. We have a reputation to uphold."

I grinned. "You've got that right, sister." I got to my feet and stretched. "Now let's get ready and go start this weekend off right."

In about two hours the two of us were dressed to kill and making our way down to the street in the elevator of our apartment complex. Toary donned a stunning, red, form-fitting dress that accentuated all the right curves. The pencil skirt ended just above her knees, and the top of the dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline and a band of sequin just below the bust for a touch of elegant sparkle. With it my friend had paired a silver clutch and platform sling-back heels, with diamond earrings, necklace, and bracelet.

I found that the "dark" look suited me more, so I went with a sexy little black number that was also flattering like Toary's red one but stopped about mid-thigh. The top was a strapless sweetheart neckline, but a strip of black lace went a little higher and created short sleeves for an enticing off-the-shoulder style. Black clutch, jewelry, and platform wedge heels completely my look.

The both of us had done a smokey-eye makeup look to accentuate our light-coloured irises, and our hair was loosely curled. I had secured my darker-blonde locks more to one side so they flowed over my right shoulder, while Toary kept all of her hair free and cascading down her back beautifully.

Yes, we looked fabulous, and we knew it.

While getting ready I had sent a text to a few of our friends, inviting them to join us for an evening on the town, starting at our favourite restaurant located down the street from our apartment. It was a classy little Italian joint with an excellent wine list.

Our little group of four sat at a table in one of the corners of the restaurant, sipping our wines after placing our dinner orders.

"So," Angina remarked, setting down her glass and brushing her short brown hair out of her eyes. "I thought you two were planning on crashing a wedding this weekend."

I nodded. "We were, but nothing interesting came up. Both of us browsed all over the internet, searching any tags we could think of, but nothing."

Shrugging her shoulders, Toary added, "Yeah we wanted a celebrity wedding since it's a long weekend. But they always keep the location of such events on a 'need to know only' basis."

Our other friend, Christy, pitched in, her brown eyes eager. "That's why you don't just go by what you find on the web. Word-of-mouth is often a lot more sharing." She leaned forward a bit, resting her elbows on the table. "We've had a lot of people checking in at the hotel where I work. Of course, you ask or over-hear the reasons for their stay. And a lot of them have been talking about a wedding that's happening this Saturday at The Great Hall near the Entertainment District. I haven't heard much on who's getting married, but it seems to be a big deal."

I looked at Toary and grinned. Maybe we'd get our adventure-filled weekend after all. Turning back to Christy, I stated, "Girl, I think you just made our plans for us!" Lifting my wine glass, I proposed a toast. "To another crazy weekend!" And we all clinked our glasses together.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning me and Toary each packed our suitcases; they were just small ones perfect for a two-night stay. Christy had been able to pull some strings at the 5-star hotel where she worked and got us each our own suite for a really low price. It was nice having connections in a big city like Toronto where everything else was already so expensive.

I went over all the things I had packed one more time before zipping the luggage shut. Some formal wear, some more casual, the necessities, and a few special pieces in case things got interesting. I wheeled the suitcase over to the front door where Toary's already stood. I checked the note on my phone where I had jotted down all the things we might need, and then looked up at my best friend.

"We good to go?" I asked, sliding the phone into my back pocket.

The shorter blonde strode my way, tucking her phone and a few snacks into her purse. "Yeah," she replied. "I think we have everything."

Together we exited our apartment complex and out into the always-busy streets of Toronto. From there we walked the short distance to the nearest bus stop, and hopped onto the first bus that would take us in the direction we needed to go. It wasn't a long trip; only about 40 minutes or so. And soon we were entering through the grand doors of our hotel. Me and Toary took in our surroundings, eyes sparkling. We loved luxurious hotels, and this one was no exception.

We walked to the front desk and checked in with none other than Christy herself.

"Girl you weren't exaggerating about this place," I remarked, still glancing around me. "It's absolutely gorgeous!"

Our friend smiled. "Wait 'til you see your rooms. They spare no expense when it comes to the suites."

And boy, was she right! We took the elevator to our floor; my room happened to be the first one we passed as we walked down the hallway so we checked that one out first.

"Holy crap!" Toary gasped, spinning around in the middle of the spacious main room. "This room alone could be bigger than our apartment!"

I, too, was taken aback at just how grand this suite was. I had been in some nice hotels before, but this one beat all the rest by far. This main room was what you walked into when first entering the suite, and it was furnished with a large flat-screen TV and two beautiful white leather couches. The floor was dark hardwood but the middle of the room had a faux fur area rug underneath a coffee table that matched the colour of the floor. The room off to the left of the living room was a large kitchen, which also had a four-person bar-height dining table. To the right and through double doors led to the bedroom, which had a King-sized bed, white leather love-seat, and crisp white chest and dresser. It also had a large closet and an adjoining bathroom, which accented a gorgeous marble counter-top and large Jacuzzi bathtub.

"Wow," Toary breathed. "If my room is as good as this one, don't be surprised if you don't see me all weekend."

I laughed. "But a room this big is no fun all by yourself. You need some company," I winked at her before adding, "and we'll both find that at the wedding tomorrow."

"Yeah, if we get in," my friend replied as I hoisted my suitcase onto the bed to be unpacked later. I walked out of my suite with her to join Toary as she went to hers. It was only a few rooms down, and she slid her card-key into the slot on the door.

"Oh, think positive," I reassured her as we walked in. "I have a good feeling about this wedding." I laughed. "And that's saying something because you know how I hate all of them."

Toary's room ended up being almost identical to mine, just with different colours and slightly different furniture arrangement. The layout of the rooms was the same, with spacious kitchen, TV room, bedroom, and bathroom.

After leaving her things in the suite, Toary suggested we get some brunch. "It'll give us a chance to get a lay of the land and check out The Great Hall," she said as she fixed her makeup in front of the mirror in her bathroom.

Nodding, I added, "And later tonight we can hit up one of the nearby bars and see if we can spot any of the wedding guests."

Together we made our way back down to the main floor and out of the hotel.

See, me and my best friend had devised a plan. We figured that a sure-fire way of getting into the reception was cozying up to one of the more easy-going wedding-goers the night before, if we could find some. That way, if the bouncer at the door tomorrow needed proof that we knew someone, we could just ask him to go request "so and so" to confirm who we were. If we got lucky, the persons we had talked to the night before would be glad to see us again and gladly welcome us into the party. It was something we had always wanted to try at a bigger event, and from the sounds of it this wedding would be the best opportunity.

"If it's a celebrity couple," Toary stated, "they've kept their special day a pretty good secret. On the bus ride here, I searched everything I could on events happening at The Great Hall and found nothing, other than that it was booked this weekend.

"Well then let's cross our fingers that it'll be worth the trip," I stated as we walked the streets and found a little cafe where we could eat.

"How about him?"

"No."

"The one by the bar?"

"Nope."

"Damn. How can you read people so quickly?"

I smirked. "It's a gift."

Toary laughed. "Well, whatever it is, it's making me miss out on all these potentially hot hook-ups."

"Oh well don't let me stop you," I replied, giving her a sidelong glance as I sipped from my martini. "I can crash a wedding by myself."

"Ha. You're not getting rid of me that easily." My friend motioned to the waiter to top of her drink and leaned back a bit more in her seat. "We've been at this bar for almost an hour. Don't you think we should check out another place?"

My eyes continued scanning the bar-area as I answered, one of my arms resting over the back of my chair. "Just a few more minutes-" I trailed off as a pair of young men came in through the front doors of the establishment. Toary followed my gaze, and the two of us made eye contact. "See?" my eyes said, and I grinned.

I waited until the two men were standing by the bar before getting out of my seat and motioning to my friend to follow. We strode smoothly towards them, our high heels clicking softly against the hardwood floor. The both of us leaned against the counter a few paces away from them and ordered ourselves each a drink. I could feel their eyes on us, and Toary tilted her head at me slightly with a grin. Once again, we were dressed to kill, and it was in a situation like this where is was very useful.

Without haste or apparent eagerness, I turned my head in the two guys' direction and gave them a quick once-over. Both were well-dressed in semi-casual attire. One wore an off-white V-neck shirt with dark jeans and a denim jacket, and the other donned a navy polo under a light blue blazer paired with khakis. I mentally claimed the one wearing the denim jacket; his dark hair was swept back, he had just the right amount of scruff, and his deep-set eyes gave him a somewhat dark vibe. Personally, I liked my men a little rugged.

"Hey," I said simply, directing my conversation to the first man. "You two from around here?"

"No," he answered, and gestured to his friend. "We're here for our friends' wedding."

Me and Toary faked enthusiasm. "No way! Who's getting married?"

"Oh you've probably seen them on TV... Josh Bowman and Emily VanCamp." He paused, waiting for our reaction. The names didn't ring a bell, and when he saw our slightly-clueless expressions he continued. "They co-starred on the show 'Revenge'..."

"Oh yeah!" Toary piped up. "I remember now. I just knew them by their character names which is why I didn't know at first who you were talking about."

I shrugged. "I never watched the show, but good for them. Are you two in the bridal party?"

The second man shook his head. "We're just good friends." He nudged man #1's arm. "Stud here used to date Emily in college."

I gave a surprised look and laughed slightly while the first guy shook his head with a sheepish smile on his face. "Yeah, well," he said. "That was a long time ago." He looked back up at me and Toary. "Anyway, my name is Sebastian, and my embarrassing friend here is Charles."

Me and Toary shook their hands while introducing ourselves, and the four of us decided to sit down at a table rather than at the bar, so we could communicate better. Toary sat beside Charles and I took the place beside Sebastian. As the evening went on, however, my friend and Sebastian's friend got caught up in their conversation and I angled my chair so that I was facing the dark-haired man beside me more directly.

"So, Sebastian," I began, leaning back in my chair and crossing my legs, "what do you do for a living?" The dress I was wearing wasn't particularly short, but it did ride up my thighs slightly as I reclined. I casually pulled it a bit further down, and I saw Sebastian's eyes follow my movements. But as soon as I stopped, his gaze casually met mine again. "At least he's not an obvious perv," I jokingly thought to myself.

"I'm an actor," he answered, leaning his right side against the edge of the wooden table and placing his corresponding arm on top of it. He had taken off his jacket earlier and now his well-toned muscles caught my attention for a moment. But I made sure my line of vision didn't stay there too long and I looked back up at his face as he continued. "I've been in a few movies and guest-starred on some shows. I'm still trying to make it big but something like that rarely happens over-night."

I nodded, genuinely interested in what he was saying. "That's a first," I thought, and took a sip out of the wine glass I was nursing. Maybe it was the alcohol.

"There's this casting call for a big-time Marvel film, but I doubt I'll get the part."

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently this movie is a big deal, and it's pretty nerve-wracking trying out for something that high-budget. Like I said, I haven't been a part of something particularly big yet."

"But you'll never know if you don't try," I stated simply. "I mean, I don't think I've seen any of your movies. But just from talking to you, it really makes me want to check them out." Wow. I actually meant that. Who had taken over my body today? "You've got true passion for what you do, and that should be enough."

I boldly reached over and lightly touched his hand. It was the perfect balance between being rough and being smooth, and he didn't tense under my contact like I expected him too. Instead, while both of our hands remained comfortably rested on the table, he began to lightly run his thumb along mine. The feeling didn't send jolts of electricity to my heart (I wasn't a love-sick teenager anymore), but it was comforting and almost... loving. Okay. Now I was really going crazy. But nevertheless, I enjoyed the calm sensation between the both of us. He looked right into my blue eyes with his bright teal-coloured ones, and smiled.

"Thanks," he said simply but earnestly. "That means a lot."

I smiled back at him. We continued talking about random things in our lives, from hobbies to interests and even family, which was something I didn't usually talk about with the guys I had been with before. But Sebastian's calm demeanour and the way he seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say made him extremely enjoyable and easy to talk to.

The evening flew by, and before we knew it me and Toary were exiting the bar with our new friends. The four of us stood just outside of the building, with Toary and Charles chatting off to one side and me standing with Sebastian close to a nearby street-lamp. The soft glow from the light gave the actor's sharp facial features the perfect accents as he kindly draped his denim jacket over my shoulders. The nights could still get a bit chilly, and I welcomed the comforting warmth the dense fabric gave.

"Thanks," I said, and pulled the jacket more securely around my arms. A waft of his cologne reached my senses; not over-powering and just the right blend of classy and casual. Why was everything about this man so perfect?

"My pleasure," he replied. Sebastian looked over his shoulder at his friend and Toary, who were slowly walking towards us now. "Do you mind if we walk you two back to your hotel?"

After a nod from Toary, I answered. "Not at all."

During our walk, Toary and Charles stayed behind us a bit while we walked at a steady pace towards our hotel. It wasn't a long walk, and I found myself not wanting it to end. It was surprisingly very pleasant having Sebastian beside me, and I leaned into him when he put his arm across my upper back just below my shoulders. We didn't talk much, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence; it felt like we had known each other for years, and were simply enjoying each other's company.

For a while the only sounds that could be heard was the click of my high heels against the sidewalk and the occasional vehicle that passed us by on the road. With me leaning against Sebastian's shoulder, I could also hear the steady rhythm of his breathing and occasionally the soft beating of his heart. This was so different from my past experiences with men; there were usually no romantic walks or intimate conversations that made me think about a serious relationship. But there was something so comforting about the young actor beside me. He made me feel... I'm not sure what it was, but it was definitely something I didn't think I'd felt before.

I was pulled from my own thoughts at the sound of Sebastian's voice. "I had a really nice time tonight," he said softly, glancing my way as he spoke. "I definitely wasn't expecting to spend my evening with a beautiful woman like yourself, but it was a pleasant and welcome surprise."

I laughed softly, looking at my feet before meeting his eyes. I smiled. "I had a great time too. We'll have to do this again sometime." I surprised myself by saying that. Usually it was the guy who wanted me more after the first time.

Sebastian returned my smile. "I'd like that." He momentarily removed his arm from my back to get his phone, and I found myself immediately missing his touch. God, this man was too much.

"Here," he said, handing me his phone. "Put your number in. I'll send you a text right after so you'll have mine right away."

I gladly obliged, and he sent me a text before sliding the phone back into his pocket and putting his arm around me again. I felt my phone vibrate in my purse, and I couldn't help but grin. I had made an acquaintance with an actor, and now I had his number. Geez. Maybe I was a love-sick teenager after all.

We reached the lobby doors of our hotel, and I reluctantly returned Sebastian's jacket. He smiled gratefully and slung it over his shoulder before hooking his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans.

"So," he said at length. "I guess I'll text you?"

I nodded. "Sure."

There was a short pause, our eyes locked, and I couldn't help myself. I took a careful step towards him, reached up, and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Stepping away, I smiled at him, and he smirked back.

"See you soon?" It was meant to be a statement, but it came out as more of a question. Sebastian nodded, replying softly. "Definitely."

With that I turned towards the door of the hotel, just in time to see Toary and Charles hug goodbye before she too turned towards the entrance. The two of us walked up the steps to the doors, and I denied every urge I had to turn around and look at Sebastian one last time before entering.

I at least needed to keep some of my dignity intact.


	3. Chapter 3

"Girl, what is your deal?!" Toary blurted out as soon as we were in the hotel elevator. She looked at me with complete disbelief written all over her face. "I've never seen you this way around a guy."

I simply shook my head, still in a bit of a daze myself about how I was feeling. "I don't know," I said softly, looking down at my shoes. "I don't know what's gotten into me."

"I know what it is." As Toary spoke I looked up at her, and she was grinning from ear to ear. Realization hit me as to what my friend was going to say, and my eyes widened.

"Don't you dare say it," I warned sternly, but of course she said it anyway.

"You're falling in lo-!" She was cut off by my hand covering her mouth. Toary laughed, removing my hand and avoiding my other attempts at silencing her. "You're in love! Get it in the history books people!" she almost shouted. "My best friend is finally falling in love!"

I smiled slightly, shaking my head and crossing my arms. "Whatever you say, Toary. It's just... I don't know what it is, but he definitely makes me feel different than I've ever felt around a guy." I huffed, leaning my head against the mirrored wall of the elevator and looking upwards. "I hate it." I looked my friend in the eye, my smile gone. "I hate feeling confused, you know."

The elevator dinged, announcing our arrival at our floor. The two of us walked out, and Toary linked her arm with mine.

"Listen," she said. "I know you have some things to get off your chest, and I'm here for you, as always. How about I go change into my PJ's, and I'll come by your room. We can order some room-service ice cream and some Baileys, and when you feel like it, you can rant and then blame it on the alcohol later. Sounds good?"

I couldn't help but smile. God, I loved this chick; I definitely couldn't imagine my life without her. "Sounds great," I replied.

Toary unlinked her arm from mine when we got to my door and she continued on to her suite. By the time I had changed out of my evening dress and pulled my hair up, she was knocking on my door. I let her in, and while I switched my contacts with my glasses, she ordered us each some vanilla ice cream and Baileys Irish Cream to go with it.

When it arrived, the two of us sat on either end of one of the leather couches in the TV room and enjoyed the cold treat. But it didn't take long for me to start talking.

"Okay, so I know I don't have to explain to you why I'm feeling like this; you know the whole story about my parents' shitty marriage and why I have trust issues when it comes to guys. And I was perfectly happy living my life the way I was, with no commitments and whatever, but then," I paused, and gave out an exasperated laugh. "But then this motherf***er has so show up, and now he's got me feeling things I don't want to feel." Tears began welling up in my eyes, and I wiped them away angrily. I wasn't mad for crying in front of Toary; she'd seen me bawl before. I was angry at myself for feeling so weak and vulnerable. When had I become this person? "Ugh. I just hate feeling this way, you know?"

I hadn't even noticed Toary move but now she was beside me, pulling me into a hug.

"I know, babe," she replied, speaking gently. She leaned back, still holding me at arm's length. "But if it's love you're feeling, then you need to let that in. You can't just keep pushing people away. I mean, sure, past guys have all been idiots anyway; that was all for fun. But it was bound to happen that you'd find someone who actually makes you feel special." Toary smiled, dropping her arms into her lap. "And if that's Sebastian, then you need to let it happen." She paused, knowing she was treading on very sensitive ground. "Maybe it's time for those walls to come down."

I remained silent through all of this, knowing in my heart that what my best friend said was true. But after living my life this way so long, was I even capable of returning those feelings if that's what they were? I shook my head. "I just can't believe that I went from bad-ass and hard-to-get to star-struck and vulnerable. What a day." I laughed, sniffing.

"Not vulnerable," corrected my friend. "You're showing you're human." She smiled, nudging my arm. "You'll always still be a bad-ass."

This made me smile, and we continued eating our ice cream/Baileys mixture while talking about the hours spent with Charles and Sebastian.

"Charles is really sweet," Toary mused when I asked about him. "Don't really know if he's my type just from talking with him a few hours, but he seems really down-to-earth. Apparently he and Sebastian have been friends since they were kids, and he's often with him when he does press tours and stuff."

"That's cool," I replied. Suddenly I laughed. "That would be us if we ever got famous. We'd be the other's groupie." The two of us giggled, and went on to talking about our "game plan" for the wedding tomorrow.

When the time showed past 3:00 AM, we decided that it was time for us to get some sleep. Toary said goodnight and left for her room. After washing off my makeup, I snuggled myself among the many pillows that covered my King-sized bed and pulled the cool white comforter up to my armpits.

I checked my phone one last time before plugging it in to charge and realized I hadn't looked at it since leaving the bar. Among other messages, I had a text from what my phone thought was an unknown number. I knew who it belonged to, and so I opened it. The message was very short, just " _Hey you_ " with a little smiley face emoji. But something about it made me smile, and I ended up falling asleep while thinking about the man who had sent it.


End file.
